Is it possible to learn Polish? Polish: is it easy to learn? Is it easy to learn Polish?
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Polish belongs to the group of Slavic languages, so even without knowing the language, Russian speakers, and especially Ukrainians, can intuitively understand what is being said. It is thanks to the similarity of our languages that learn Polish It won’t be difficult, and besides, you can master spoken Polish in 2-3 months of intensive language study, which cannot be said, for example, about Czech or German, which require at least 6 months to learn.
To study in Polish-language programs, some universities (mostly public) require confirmation of knowledge of the Polish language at a level not lower than B2. In Poland there are 13 centers for teaching Polish language and culture for foreigners, which operate at public higher education institutions in Poland. Certificate of completion of a preparatory course in one of these Polish language schools, is recognized in all educational institutions of the Republic of Poland.
If you are going to enroll in a private university in Poland, then almost all non-state higher educational institutions in Poland have Polish language training centers for foreigners.
Centers for preparing foreigners for admission to Polish universities, both at private and public universities in Poland, offer various Polish language learning programs. The most common are an intensive course and an academic program for studying the Polish language. The duration of the intensive course is usually from 1 to 3 months. As for the academic program for studying Polish, its duration is usually 1 or 2 semesters.
The cost of teaching Polish at universities is usually lower than similar training programs in private language schools in Poland. However, Polish language schools at universities usually provide training in Polish for foreigners starting from level A2, so if your level of Polish is insufficient, then a way out of the situation may be to study Polish at a private language school in Poland or at home in your homeland.
Some foreigner training centers at universities offer only academic programs lasting 2 semesters for people with beginner knowledge of Polish. If you want to take an intensive course of learning Polish, then your knowledge should be at level A2-B1.
The best option for learning Polish would be to take a Polish course at home, in your hometown, before leaving for Poland. The Addrian company offers in Kyiv, Kharkov, Kherson and Nikolaev. Course duration is 5 months, 2 times a week for 1.5 hours. To register for the group, please contact the offices of the Adrian company.
Fountains in a small green and shady quiet park in the very center of Poznan
Oh, how often you hear this question during a trial lesson! And no matter how much I try to evade the answer, this does not remove the question itself. Let's start with the fact that I am sure that it is impossible to learn a language; learning a language is a process in which there may be some (and often very clear) intermediate results, but there cannot be a final result. The more you immerse yourself in the language, the deeper you are sucked into its depths, the more clearly you understand the futility of your efforts. I am wary of maximalists who are able to say something like: “I learned English” (exactly like that with a perfect verb) with the intonation of a person who has turned the last page of a book. No, no and no again, I cannot agree with such formulations.
There is no person more confident in the imminence of success in a foreign language than young me was after the first quarter in the fifth grade, when in a quarter we learned the basics of the English language at school (although then it seemed wow!) of the English language, it seemed to me that just a little more and English will submit to me, because I probably already counted to ten and could say the sacramental I am a pupil, my school is big, and yet London is a capital of Great Britain was still ahead. :))!!!
And there is no person more clearly aware of his helplessness in front of the huge block of the Polish language than, for example, Prof. Jan Miodek is one of the most indisputable authorities in the field of the Polish language on the banks of the Vistula, and therefore the planet as a whole.
But if you don’t see the goal, it’s difficult. For me, at some stage the questions are: “What does it mean to “learn a language”? “Where are the criteria?” became quite sharp and had a practical character. At that time, I made a difficult decision for myself to put aside a whole range of interesting languages, which I studied due to youthful enthusiasm and maximalism, and achieve results in at least one. But what could such a result be? Then, passing an international exam was chosen as the outcome criterion. There are such exams in almost every European language (even in such exotic languages as Luxembourgish or Catalan). After I received, and then not only, in Polish, I understand that the exam, like any assessment, is not the best criterion, but objectively speaking, there is still nothing better, and the six-step scale for assessing language skills, developed once Council of Europe (Common European Framework of Reference, CEFR) are the best landmarks that exist today. By following the link you can read the description of language skills for each level and choose the one that suits your ambitions in Polish.
Life is in full swing (at the Poznan Market)
I will try to tell you how much time it will take you to successfully master the language at one level or another. This is my subjective opinion and by no means the ultimate truth. In addition, it is clear that all people are different and approach learning Polish with different language experience and “skills”, although I do not believe that there are people who are not capable of languages, I only believe in insufficient motivation, in other words, if you cannot learning English/Polish/Portuguese doesn’t mean that your head is somehow wired wrong, it just means that you don’t really need it. If only we should have learned it! Well, not about that now. Everything you read below concerns a conventionally average person with average abilities and the amount of free time. So, how long does it take to master the Polish language at a particular level? Or how long does it take to master Polish at one level or another?
Level A – 1 month.
My thesis, for sure, may seem seditious, but for the Russian-speaking public (and especially the Ukrainian one) talking about level A1 or A2 is not serious. I believe that, contrary to CEFR recommendations, we are capable of reaching this level within a month. The relatedness of our languages helps us in this, with fairly intensive lessons in the first month we need to get acquainted with the basics of Polish grammar and rebuild our hearing in order to begin to understand Polish written text or spoken language at the level required for A levels. General vocabulary of related languages will provide the basis, and Classes will provide additional vocabulary. .
Level B – 1 year.
This is a very serious level that allows you to feel completely confident in the language; for example, these are the levels that are required of foreigners for admission to Polish universities. I believe that even level B2 is an adequate goal for a year of Polish language classes (not visits or simulated classes, but classes). This task is not simple, but certainly achievable, because not one already. Today I’m even ready to say that this is possible with almost any European language - it’s just a matter of sufficient motivation and adequate effort.
Level C – 3-5 years.
So, if with levels A1, A2, B1 or B2 you can speed up and intensify the process, if “really necessary”, then level C1 and C2 are this level of language proficiency, which, in my deep conviction, requires time, time lived in the language and with tongue. The distance between B2 and C1 is significantly greater than between any other pair of levels. For level C, you need the language to get used to it and settle in your head, and you get used to it, so that you read the nth thousand pages of texts, hundreds and thousands of hours of audio or video, communicate with native speakers, etc. In my opinion, these levels require several years of language practice, and not always lessons; what is more important here is practice - active or passive - it doesn’t matter, you need personal experience and a sense of the language, which comes only with time. Unlike levels A and B, there will be little purely technical or mechanical work here, and therefore speeding up the process is extremely difficult, even if you live in Poland.
Poznan. Market. Town Hall.
However, as for the last ambitious task with level C, I do not dare to say that this is impossible in a shorter period of time; moreover, I will tell you that I have a good friend, whom I helped as much as possible at a certain stage, and who received her level C2 (not just a certificate, but, more importantly, a level) in a much shorter time, but this is the case when we are talking about language abilities and performance in the language that are much above average.
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When we were planning to go to Poland, we did not specifically study Polish. At first I had a small attempt to do something, “Polish for Russians,” I think that’s what it was called. I opened it, as it should be, on the alphabet and when I saw all these letters that were strangely pronounced, which had no analogues in the Russian language, I was horrified, closed it and decided that I’d better leave it, and, having arrived in Poland, I’ll start learning Polish language.
There were a couple of attempts to listen to some Polish speech or some lessons in the Polish language, and for some reason it seemed to me that it was very similar to Ukrainian, and if we came to Poland, we would be able to speak Ukrainian without any problems. But please do not be mistaken, because the Poles do not understand the Ukrainian language at all. We also encountered such a moment, it was like this for us, maybe for someone it was different, but when we were talking with the Poles and literally made a mistake in one letter or made a slightly incorrect emphasis, they absolutely could not understand what you were talking about generally speaking.
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People of an earlier generation learned Russian in schools. This certainly helped us when we arrived, because older people could at least understand us, not talk, but understand. We were lucky that when we arrived, we met a lot of people from Ukraine and Belarus who speak Ukrainian and Russian. For the first few months, they went with us everywhere and translated everything. We are very, very grateful to them for this.
What helped me learn Polish. Of course, this is communication. We communicated with the Poles several times a week. We didn’t complete special courses, didn’t go to special schools, just lively communication with friends, listened to Polish speech, tried to repeat something. This allowed me, within three weeks, to at least understand what was being said. 70%-80% I have already begun to understand what we are talking about. For two months we listened and tried to say something. My advice to you: don’t be afraid to speak Polish! Ask your friends to correct you if you say something wrong, even if you don't know.
Although everyone has their own capabilities, it is very difficult when learning Polish to immediately start speaking correctly. Practice, practice and more practice! Two months later, we asked our friends to study Polish grammar with us. We took several lessons, but in this course we were recommended a wonderful book called “Zaczynam mówić po polsku”. This book has a wonderful overview of all the grammar. This book is only in Polish. The first two months when we arrived, Polish was already heard a little. We saw Polish signs, there was some communication in Polish in shops and with friends. I resorted to such a wonderful course as Polish in 7 lessons: http://speakasap.com/ru/polish-lesson1.html. I think it will be useful to you.
Of course, when you come to Poland and encounter the language, people, and culture here, it was much easier for me to accept this language and start learning it. I do not have the ability to study foreign languages; for me it is something very difficult. For me, mathematics, exact sciences, web design are easier, but by no means languages. This is something very difficult, very difficult for me. As far as I have read different books about learning languages, each person has his own abilities. For some it is easier to perceive by ear, for some it is easier to perceive certain images, for others it is easier to perceive associative thinking. You can read Polish books, watch films in Polish, talk, listen to some dialogues. Find a method that is more optimal and convenient for you. Another very wonderful book on Polish grammar is called “Ten ta to”. Another great course that was recently recommended to us is called “Polish in 4 weeks”. A wonderful book that can be downloaded on the Internet along with audio lessons. The book is based on dialogues on various topics. Dialogues are written that are very easy to understand. Then the grammar is written, and at the end of the word. You listen to the pronunciation, and before your eyes you have it all in written form. You can listen to dialogues on the road, repeating different words, or read on convenient devices.
There is no doubt that knowing the language of the country of residence makes the above-mentioned stay much more comfortable and opens up many opportunities for a person - be it in the labor market or in a supermarket. Poland is no exception in this case.
In public transport, ATMs and municipal bike rental terminals in large Polish cities you can find instructions and menus in Russian. But if this is quite enough for a tourist who comes for a few days, then for those who decide to connect their lives with Poland for a longer period, learning the language remains the best option. So the question “to learn or not to learn a language” in most cases turns into a question of where to learn the language - at home or already in Poland, and where to start learning.
Where not to start
As for starting training, it’s easier to answer where you shouldn’t start. The scientific works of Baudouin de Courtenay and Sienkiewicz's trilogy in the original are best left to philology students. Learning Polish for everyday communication should start with the alphabet, listening to Polish radio and reading news sites. It's not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
According to the so-called Swadesh list, the Polish language lexically coincides with Russian and Ukrainian by at least 70%; words borrowed from other European languages are also similar. Of course, in Polish there are also so-called “false friends of the translator” - words that have a completely different meaning from Russian or Ukrainian words but have a very similar sound or spelling. Perhaps the most popular example of this is the Polish word "sklep" - shop. It can also be difficult for beginners to remember that “zapomnieć” means “to forget” in Polish. But vocabulary comes with experience.
Where to study: at home or in Poland
Regarding where it is better to start learning a language, at home or already in Poland - each of these approaches has its own advantages. Studying the language at home, before leaving for Poland, allows you to better prepare for meeting a new country and feel more confident in the first days and weeks of your stay there, that is, during the most difficult period. Registration of documents, search for housing, search for work, lack of friends and usual social circle - all these difficulties of life abroad are easier to endure if you speak the language. The best way to learn Polish in Ukraine is language courses from the Polish Institute, which is the official representative of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in the field of culture.
Źródło: screenshot/polinst.kiev.ua
A really high level of teaching, various levels of difficulty, small groups (from 8 to 12 people), the ability to choose the intensity of classes (from 1 to 5 lessons per week) and a relatively affordable price (about 3,000 hryvnia).
The only drawback is that classes are held only in Kyiv, so this option may not be available for residents of the rest of Ukraine. Therefore, those who are not ready to learn the language on their own, but do not have the opportunity to attend courses in Kyiv, can use the services of the online foreign language training agency “Inozemna Mova”
Źródło: screenshot/imclasses.com
The agency is accredited by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Poland for the right to conduct exams on knowledge of the Polish language with the issuance of state-issued certificates, therefore, if desired (and subject to successful passing of the exams), you can immediately receive a certificate of the appropriate level and have every right to add it to your resume. Classes are taught by teachers from Polish universities, and the price of an hour-long lesson on a B1 level conversation course is 95 hryvnia. On the one hand, it’s not that cheap, on the other hand, this price will pay off in a maximum of two hours of work in Poland, so it can be considered an investment.
Źródło: screenshot/polskijazyk.pl
As stated on the website, the platform offers free real-time learning of the Polish language from level A1 to level B1, taking into account the requirements of the Polish Language Certification Exam for Foreigners. The goal of the project is to promote the learning of the Polish language through the creation of a comprehensive and free platform for remote learning of the Polish language for young people from Belarus, Ukraine and Russia who are thinking about studying in Poland. The undoubted advantages of the platform, in addition to its free nature, include the ability to choose the language of instruction - lessons are available in both Russian and Ukrainian.
Those who don't part with a smartphone or tablet can try learning Polish with the popular Duolingo app.
Źródło: screenshot/duolingo.com
Learning a language after moving
If the situation is such that you first came to Poland and then decided to learn the language, then you have two trump cards in your hands - firstly, a real incentive to do it as quickly as possible, and secondly, being in a language environment, which is the best way to promote learning. The main thing is to try not to isolate yourself and, perhaps, among your non-Polish-speaking work colleagues. Listen, read, memorize, write down - and whenever possible try to speak Polish. And don’t forget about online lessons and apps; you can use them to learn a language anywhere. If you want to study Polish in Poland with a teacher, the situation may vary greatly depending on the region. Polish language courses for foreigners living in Poland can be paid or free. In the case of paid courses, the price will differ sharply from prices in Ukraine towards higher prices, so this option is not suitable for everyone.
For example, in Warsaw, on courses at the University of Warsaw, the price of a course for the coming fall starts from 1,716 zlotys.
A pleasant exception against this background is the Wroclaw school Polish Street, where the price of a 40-hour course is 860 zlotys.
In the case of private teachers, who are easy to find on advertisement portals, the cost of a lesson will be about 30-35 zlotys. You may be able to agree that the lesson will be taught for two or three students - this will reduce the price for each participant. It is worth keeping in mind that various humanitarian and educational organizations periodically organize free Polish courses - usually in the capitals of the provinces. Therefore, keep an eye out for announcements on specialized websites and on bulletin boards in local offices for foreigners and other similar institutions. Good luck in your studies and integration!
If you are planning moving to Poland , then you need to study the language seriously, since the Poles today will not communicate with you either in English or in Russian in their country. Therefore, you need to start learning the language at least a year before your planned move or admission to university.
In Belarus, there are popular stereotypes about the Polish language, saying that it is not foreign at all. Let's look at some famous statements about the Polish language.
Polish language is very simple
For us Belarusians, this is a super popular statement. " Polish language the same as Belarusian, why teach him, I’ll speak Belarusian, they’ll understand me.” Indeed, there are many similar words, since Polish is a Slavic language.
The catch is that Polish seems simple at the initial stage, when you can make simple statements from elementary words. I am a teacher of the Polish language, I have been dealing with it professionally since I was 18 years old. So, the more I delve into the language, the more I realize that there is still a lot that I can learn and remember.
Did you know that Polish is one of the ten most difficult languages in the world. This becomes clear when you get to Polish grammar . Polish, like Russian, is inflectional, that is, it has a developed system of declension of names and conjugation. Therefore, I believe that it is more difficult than the English language, since when learning English it is important to “gain” a good vocabulary, and when studying Polish it is important to apply this same vocabulary in the right form.
The Polish language is not logical. It is difficult to explain why in Polish we do not “wait for a friend,” but “wait for a friend.” Or why, if at least one man appears in a group of women, then in the plural nominative case it is necessary to change the forms of several parts of speech in the sentence.
Or why in Polish “pukać” means “to knock”, “rano” is not “early”, but “morning, in the morning”, and “zapomnieć” is “to forget”. And there are a lot of such deceptive words.
Polish language is ugly
Well, it’s not for nothing that we call the Poles “Pshek”. This abundance of whistling and hissing combinations of consonants, at first glance, can drive you crazy and dizzy. It seems like this when you hear snatches of conversations on the street or buy groceries in a store. I see how difficult pronunciation is for beginners learning Polish. This is normal in the beginning. I remember the moment when I experienced similar emotions, but then all these “pshe” and “bzhe” lined up in a harmonious, beautiful sound series. Sometimes I catch myself thinking that Polish is much more beautiful than the Belarusian language, although the latter, in theory, should be closer to me.
Once you come to Poland, you will immediately speak like a Pole
Yeah! One day I was made fun of by one of my ambitious students, who had only started learn Polish . I tried to “talk” him and did not understand why he was so actively resisting. She directly asked what was the matter. He replies that he wants to speak Polish the way he thinks Russian. Since he can’t do this, it means he doesn’t want to talk. I had to explain to the person that even with a good level of knowledge, he would not be able to do this in a year or two. By and large, if you started learning Polish after the age of 12, then you are unlikely to completely get rid of the East Slavic accent. Provided that you live in Poland for a long time, you will begin to think in Polish and dream in Polish, but Poles will still recognize you as a foreigner.
In addition to accent, there is the concept of “Polishness” of speech. You can pronounce sounds perfectly, make sentences - but Poles will still speak differently, with different constructions. Your children will already be “friends” for the Poles, having been immersed in the language since childhood, but you will remain a visitor from the East. This is what Poles call Ukrainians, Belarusians and Russians.
If you have no illusions about “I want the Poles to be indistinguishable from their own in a year,” then just study diligently and go deeper into the Polish language. Believe me, it will be enough that you learn to speak Polish fluently. Poles love it when their language is spoken well. You will have no problems either with communication or with finding a job.
With such stereotypes, I, as a teacher, Polish tutor have to face it all the time. By the way, whenever possible, I try to destroy them. Now in the printed word!